CSA 2010 – Week 1: Springing In!

Well here we are again! Welcome, and Welcome! Winter has passed us by, and it’s late, soggy spring in the beautiful state of Oregon. I’d first of all like to thank you for choosing to be a part of our CSA, whether you are a returning member of many seasons, or if this is new to you, we are thrilled to have you along with us!

It’s amazing how fast the past twelve months have gone by. I’ve been working here at Gathering Together for just over a year now, and while some visible changes are clear (read: OZONATOR, and NEW BARN!), it’s the less obvious things that really make this whole operation go that have me floored. I’ve always been in love with the
idea of the simple life, and caring for the land, now I realize that it really ain’t all that simple. I finished my Communications degree from OSU in December, and decided to prepare myself with a crash course in farming over the winter. My sister Ivy and I took off for three months in Argentina, where we connected with two different farms through the WWOOF program (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms). Lots of work, but oh so rewarding. We’d lay down at the end of the day in our tent, bodies aching, and brains buzzing from thinking in Spanish, but so happy to be doing something new and different.

So, coming back and jumping in as a working piece of this farm has really made me appreciate the complexities that aren’t all that evident from our picturesque cover. Aside from the hard work, sometimes seeds don’t sprout, sometimes it doesn’t stop raining and we can’t transplant, things don’t always go according to schedule. But we push on! No need to remind you how wet and cold its been, because it’s been this way before. In Oregon
you just put on another layer, and enjoy the lush greens of spring until the summer sun comes out. That being said: prepare to enjoy many-a-lush green from our fields until it gets a bit warmer, and sooner or later it will.

I feel so lucky to be here, and I can’t wait to start putting the names I’ve been seeing with real faces. We encourage anyone in the area, or just passing through to stop by the farm, and see firsthand what it’s all about.

Thanks again, and Happy eating!

Devon Sanders, CSA Coordinator

We’d like to give a special thanks to all who were able to donate to our CSA scholarship fund. Your generosity has helped three families to join our program !

Wash potatoes and cut into bite sized pieces leaving the skin on. Bring 1 inch or so of water to a boil in your steam pot, and let potatoes cook for 20 or so minutes. Let them cool before mixing with other ingredients. While the potatoes are cooking, chop onions and dill and mix together yogurt, mustard, and olive oil. Combine potatoes, onions, capers, dill and sauce and mix together until all are coated. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Simple Spring Spinach Salad

1 bunch of spinach (or any spring lettuce)
One bunch baby onions
One bunch white turnips
2-3 grated carrots
Balsamic vinegar
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Wash spinach (or lettuce) and set aside to dry. Wash and thinly slice baby onions & turnips. Using the wide side of a cheese grater, grate your carrots.
In the bottom of your salad bowl, mix together enough vinegar & olive to dress your spinach. Add the leaves and toss until most leaves are coated. Add in your sliced vegetables, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and enjoy the crispy fresh taste of spring.

What’s in the box?

1.5 lb All Blue Potatoes (4.75)– best steamed or fried
Baby Onions (2.50)-enjoy raw or cooked, a great addition to any salad, stir-fry or soup
Spinach (2.50)
Dill (1.00)-see recipe
Rainbow Chard (2.50)- great sautéed with garlic, oil and Balsamic Vinegar
Carrots (3.00)
White Turnips (2.00 )
Green Leaf Lettuce (2.00)
Spring Lettuce Variety(2.00)
Blueberry Preserves (5.00)
If you were shopping at the market, the total cost of this box would be: 27.25$